The Knight News Entrepreneur Boot Camp is under way and one of the institute's leaders, Robert Niles, has outlined the opportunity for news publishers to become community organizers.
Not organizers in the sense of political activism, but organizers as engaging the community in dialogue. Niles outlines several steps necessary, and how repetition is further necessary, to achieve the goals.
In broad outline, Niles suggests:
1. Assessing the community and understanding its needs.
2. Creating a team to tackle the issues.
3. Developing a plan to use particular techniques to deal with the challenges.
4. Mobilizing the community to get noticed.
5. Tactics to gain participation.
6. Evaluating your success.
It's a solid framework on how newsrooms can treat community organization as a project.
Not organizers in the sense of political activism, but organizers as engaging the community in dialogue. Niles outlines several steps necessary, and how repetition is further necessary, to achieve the goals.
In broad outline, Niles suggests:
1. Assessing the community and understanding its needs.
2. Creating a team to tackle the issues.
3. Developing a plan to use particular techniques to deal with the challenges.
4. Mobilizing the community to get noticed.
5. Tactics to gain participation.
6. Evaluating your success.
It's a solid framework on how newsrooms can treat community organization as a project.
